Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-05-28
Gigantic Smuggling Scheme.

In 1876 three or four men banded themselves together at Gusymss, MeIi- co, for the purpose of carrying on 8 gem ersl smuggling traffic. Their principal business was getting gold and silver out of that country, for at that time those metals, and especially silver. were worth much more in the United States thsn in Mexico. The export duty was very very big and the smugslers made 8 great deal of money. Their scheme WAS 70 furnish ships and steamers. Now, thIs seemed to be an innocent business and the willy lsw-breakers pretended to be at the point of starvation, when in fact they were making money hand over fist, They brought water from Old Guayma4, about three leagues from the port, in skIn sacks on burros, and load ei ship barrels with water snd bullion bars. Of course they did not not send bullion tO every ship that came into port. They had their own schooner and it made regular trips. and every time it left Gusymas if was loaded down with precious metals. For several years this business vas carried on successfully, but at last Alexander Willard. United States Consul at Gusymss, smelled 8 good sized mouse and smugglers were frightened of. They would have been captured. schooner snd sll. had it not been for the blunder of Mexican off cial, who was either very stupid or in the pay of the smugglers. At any rate the whole gang disappeared and their whereabouts was not learned until a short time ago. Since tha. time they have branched out in their business re- ls;Ioas and for several years past thelr agents have operated all along the Mex ican border. Over the Arizona line, principally, these bold rascals have smuggled goods back and forth, and 1t is understood that several thousand men are actively engaged in the busi- ness. They have puzzled the best off cers in the country, and the chances are that the business would have been car ried on for years had 1t not been for a recent and startling discovery. I, seems that when the leaders and origiDatOrs of the scheme left Guaym8s. they took up their headquarters ID San Diego They have drawn into the scheme some very prominent men, and if the cffcer. who was ID Los Angel@s yesterday, IS right. the exposure will cause the great est sensation of the day. A number of murders have been cOmmittedI Tor the thieves would not stop si anything when their safety was at stake. If man ID their employ became uuruly they lost DO time in putting him out of the way.
 They now have in their employ some of the hardest cases that ever cleaned out R bsr-room in ArIEOns or New Mex leo. The band IS thoroughly organized, and the officer believes from certain things that be has heard, that number of the robberies committed in Arizons can be traced 10 them. So far the ofh- cers have kept the matter profound secret. and they have worked so quietly that not one of the managers of the gang have even suspected that they were be- ing shsdowed. They have everything in readiness, with the exception of com- plaints, and when District Attorney Brooks goes down there next Wedues- day, the music will begin in earnest, and San Diego will De shaken from founds tion to doue.-L. A, Times.